North Dakota Statutory Committees

Various statutes provide for legislative membership on boards, committees, and commissions other than legislative standing or procedural committees and Legislative Council interim committees. The following information identifies the statutory entity, its general responsibility, and the authority for legislative membership.

Capitol Grounds Planning Commission

The Capitol Grounds Planning Commission confers with the Council on the Arts with respect to the artistic value of any monument, memorial, or work of art to be constructed on the Capitol grounds; approves the basic style and exterior construction of, and site for, any building, facility, monument, memorial, or work of art to be constructed on the Capitol grounds; and advises the director of the Office of Management and Budget and the Legislative Council on matters relating to the physical and aesthetic features of the interior of every building on the Capitol grounds. Under North Dakota Century Code (NDCC) Section 48-10-01, the President of the Senate appoints two members of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives appoints two members of the House to the nine-member commission. Current legislative members of the commission are Senators Dennis Bercier and Dick Dever and Representatives Mary Ekstrom and Nancy Johnson.

Child Support Guidelines Drafting Advisory Committee

North Dakota Century Code Section 14-09-09.7 required the Department of Human Services to initiate a rulemaking proceeding in 1998 to ensure that the application of its child support guidelines results in the determination of appropriate child support award amounts. Subsequent proceedings must be commenced at least once every four years. Before commencing a proceeding, the department is to convene a drafting advisory committee that includes two members of the Legislative Assembly appointed by the chairman of the Legislative Council. Current legislative members are Senator Tom Fischer and Representative William R. Devlin.

Commission on Uniform State Laws

The commission promotes uniformity in state laws on those subjects where uniformity may be deemed desirable and practicable. Under NDCC Section 54-55-01, the Legislative Council appoints one member of each house to the 10-member commission. Current legislative members are Senator Thomas L. Trenbeath and Representative Lawrence R. Klemin.

Information on the activities of the commission and uniform laws commissioners is available from the National Conference of Commissioners on Uniform State Laws.

Committee on Protection and Advocacy

The committee supervises and directs the Protection and Advocacy Project, which provides advocacy and protective services for individuals with developmental disabilities and individuals with mental illnesses. Under NDCC Section 25-01.3-02, the Legislative Council appoints one member of each house to serve on the seven-member committee. Current legislative members are Senator Judy Lee and Representative Chet Pollert.

Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota Board

The Comprehensive Health Association of North Dakota (CHAND) offers health benefit plans to eligible state residents who have been rejected for accident and health insurance or have substantially reduced coverage due to restrictive riders or a preexisting conditions limitation. Under NDCC Section 26.1-08-02.1, the majority leader of the Senate appoints one member of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives appoints one member of the House to the eight-member board of directors of the association. Current legislative members are Senator Judy Lee and Representative Clara Sue Price.

Court Facilities Improvement Advisory Committee

The committee makes grants from the court facilities improvement and maintenance fund to counties to provide funds for court facilities improvement and maintenance projects. Under NDCC Section 27-05.2-09, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints one member of the five-member committee. The current legislative member is Senator Stanley W. Lyson.

Education Commission of the States

Under NDCC Section 15.1-04-01, this state entered the Compact for Education to encourage and promote local and state initiatives in the development, maintenance, improvement, and administration of education systems and institutions in a manner that will accord with the needs and advantages of diversity among localities and states. The Education Commission of the States consists of seven members representing each party state. Under the compact, the membership of the Senate selects one member of the Senate and the membership of the House of Representatives selects one member of the House as two of the seven members representing this state. Current legislative members are Senator Tim Flakoll and Representative RaeAnn G. Kelsch.

Emergency Commission

The commission has authority to authorize state officers to expend amounts in excess of appropriated sums, to authorize a transfer of spending authority from the state contingency appropriation, to authorize a transfer of money or spending authority between funds or line items, and to authorize the expenditure of federal funds or other moneys. Under NDCC Section 54-16-01, the chairman of the Legislative Council and the chairmen of the Senate and House Appropriations Committees are members of the five-member commission. Current legislative members are Senators Bob Stenehjem and Ray Holmberg and Representative Ken Svedjan.

Additional information with respect to the Emergency Commission is available from the Secretary of State.

Information Technology Advisory Committee

The committee advises the Information Technology Department regarding statewide information technology planning and budgeting, services of the department, and statewide information technology initiatives and policy. Under NDCC Section 54-59-07, the Legislative Council appoints two members of the Legislative Assembly to the committee, which consists of at least 17 members. Current legislative members are Senator Rich Wardner and Representative Bob Skarphol.

Medical Center Advisory Council

The council advises, consults with, and makes recommendations to the University of North Dakota and to the several agencies represented on the council concerning the program of the North Dakota Medical Center. Under NDCC Section 15-52-03, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints two members of the Senate and two members of the House to the 14-member council. Current legislative members are Senators Robert S. Erbele and Tim Mathern and Representatives Ken Svedjan and Ralph Metcalf.

Midwestern Higher Education Commission

North Dakota Century Code Section 15-10.2-01 adopts the Midwestern Regional Higher Education Compact to provide greater higher education opportunities and services in the midwestern region, with the aim of furthering regional access to, research in, and choice of higher education for the citizens residing in the states that are parties to the compact. The Midwestern Higher Education Commission, which provides for the programs of the compact, consists of five resident members from each party state. Under NDCC Section 15-10.2-02, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints one member of the Senate and one member of the House of Representatives as two of the five members representing this state. Current legislative members are Senator Tim Flakoll and Representative Thomas Brusegaard.

National Conference of Insurance Legislators

Under NDCC Section 54-35-20, the chairman of the Legislative Council, in consultation with the Insurance Commissioner, appoints two members of each house to represent this state at functions of the National Conference of Insurance Legislators. Current legislative members are Senators Jerry Klein and Harvey Tallackson and Representatives George Keiser and Francis J. Wald.

Special Road Committee

The committee reviews requests for funding from the special road fund and decides which project requests will receive funding. Under NDCC Section 24-02-37.2, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints one member of each house to the five-member committee. Current legislative members are Senator Thomas L. Trenbeath and Representative Robin Weisz.

Crop Protection Product Harmonization and Registration Board

The board is responsible for identifying and prioritizing crop protection product labeling needs and pursuing any opportunity to make more crop protection product options available to agricultural producers in this state. The 10-member board includes the chairmen of the Senate and House Agriculture Committees, or their designees, and one member of either committee who is not a member of the faction in which the committee chairman is a member, appointed by the chairman of the Legislative Council. Current legislative members are Senators Tim Flakoll and Ronald Nichols and Representative Eugene Nicholas and Citizen Member Brett Oemichen.

North Dakota Lottery Advisory Commission

The commission advises the director of the North Dakota Lottery and the Attorney General in the establishment of policy of the operation of the lottery and advises the director regarding the operation of the lottery. Under NDCC Section 53-12-17, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints three members of the five-member commission and the Attorney General appoints two members. Terms of office are three years, and no member may be appointed to more than two consecutive terms. No member of the commission may directly or indirectly, individually, as a member of a partnership or other association, or as a stockholder, director, or officer of a corporation, have an interest in a business which contracts for the operation or promotion of the lottery. Current legislative members are Senator Jerry Klein and Representatives RaeAnn G. Kelsch and Lois Delmore.

State Board of Agricultural Research and Education

The board is responsible for the budgeting and policymaking responsibilities associated with the supervision of the Agricultural Experiment Station and the North Dakota State University Extension Service within the policies of the State Board of Higher Education. Under NDCC Section 4-05.1-16, the board includes two members of the Legislative Assembly, one from each political faction, appointed by the chairman of the Legislative Council. Current legislative members are Senator Randel Christmann and Representative Ole Aarsvold.

State Council for Interstate Juvenile Supervision

The council advises the administrator of the Interstate Compact for Juveniles on participation in the Interstate Commission on Juveniles activities and administration of the compact (the director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is ex officio the compact administrator for this state's commissioner to the interstate commission). Under NDCC Section 12-66-01, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints one member of the Senate and one member of the House of Representatives to the seven-member North Dakota State Council for Interstate Juvenile Supervision. Current legislative members are Senator Stanley W. Lyson and Representative Duane DeKrey.

State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision

The council advises the administrator of the Interstate Compact for Adult Offender Supervision on participation in the Interstate Commission on Adult Offender Supervision activities and administration of the compact (the director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is ex officio the compact administrator for this state's commissioner to the interstate commission). Under NDCC Section 12-65-01, the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House each appoint one member to the seven-member council. Current legislative members are Senator Stanley W. Lyson and Representative Ron Carlisle.

State Employees Compensation Commission

The commission makes recommendations on appropriate levels of state employee compensation and fringe benefits. Under NDCC Section 54-06-25, the chairman of the Legislative Council appoints four members of the Legislative Assembly to the nine-member commission. Current legislative members are Senators Ralph L. Kilzer and Elroy N. Lindaas and Representatives Ron Carlisle and Lyle Hanson.

State Hospital Governing Body

Under NDCC Section 25-02-01.1, the Department of Human Services, in consultation with the State Hospital, is to create the State Hospital Governing Body and describe the powers and duties of the Governing Body. The Legislative Council selects a legislator as one member of the seven-member body. The current legislative member is Representative Chet Pollert.

Yellowstone-Missouri-Fort Union Commission

The commission investigates, in cooperation with the state of Montana and the National Park Service, the historical importance and significance of the Yellowstone-Missouri confluence area and formulates and executes plans for the preservation of the historic sites illustrative of the history of the United States. Under NDCC Section 55-06-01, the 10-member commission includes the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives.